Partisan Gap of Obama Approval Rating – Highest in History
For this stage in the game, still less than 3 months into his Presidency – the approval rating gap between Democrats and Republicans is the highest in modern history.
For all of his hopes about bipartisanship, Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades. The 61-point partisan gap in opinions about Obama’s job performance is the result of a combination of high Democratic ratings for the president — 88% job approval among Democrats — and relatively low approval ratings among Republicans (27%).
By comparison, there was a somewhat smaller 51-point partisan gap in views of George W. Bush’s job performance in April 2001, a few months into his first term. At that time, Republican enthusiasm for Bush was comparable to how Democrats feel about Obama today, but there was substantially less criticism from members of the opposition party. Among Democrats, 36% approved of Bush’s job performance in April 2001; that compares with a 27% job approval rating for Obama among Republicans today.
The partisan gap in Bill Clinton’s early days was also substantially smaller than what Obama faces, largely because Democrats were less enthusiastic about Clinton. In early April 1993, 71% of Democrats approved of Clinton’s job performance, which is 17 points lower than Obama’s current job approval among Democrats. Republican ratings of Clinton at that point (26%) are comparable to their current ratings of Obama today (27%).
What does this say to me? It says that George Herbert Walker Bush was not disliked, and there was not this huge uprising in the Democratic ranks in the early 90’s. I think Democrats have become so rabid and hate-filled in regards to the last president that many of them have now moved into the liberal/progressive realm and hate any and all Republicans. There was some commentary earlier today on redstate proving this insanity and how many liberals are calling for the extinction literally and figuratively of conservatives, first and foremost, and then Republicans. I foresee a big crash and burn effect when Obama becomes a major disappointment, which he already is becoming both in more overseas commentary and here in the states for moderates and independents (the reason he won). Many liberals are still flying high on the “haterade” of the Bush years and will soon wake up with a horrible hangover. It’s still early… let’s see what happens in the next few months!
Pew Research Study here… (Pew is usually liberally biased as well)
Do You Feel More Prosperous Today?
02/12/09
This week Obama and his traveling minstrels have been holding tent revivals across the eastern states. As savior of the world, he has made women swoon and young men shout to the heavens praising his name. In his camp meetings Obama has made clear that his plan for us will create jobs, save homes, and put money in our pockets. He promised everything to his children like any good messiah would. Right?
While he was bringing his message of salvation, his closest disciples were cramped together chiseling out the final details of his commandments. As they descended from the mountain we find enscribed on the tablets: $46 billion highway, bridge and mass transit construction. (If you are an equipment operator or a ditch digger, this is good news. I’m college educated, I wonder if I could be a ‘digger of ditches’). Also bestowed upon us is a 60 percent subsidy to help the unemployed pay for COBRA. (I’m still trying to find out if that is retroactive for those thousands of people whose grace period for applying for COBRA has expired). The provision for helping prospective home buyers is all but cut. The $15,000 tax credit for anybody buying a home over the next year was dropped; instead, first-time homebuyers can claim an $8,000 credit; but you have to act fast! It only lasts until the end of August. (Since the banks aren’t loaning money, good luck with that one folks). Out of the $790 billion dollars being spent for this stimulus and the $2 plus TRILLION dollars Geithner wants to spend and the more than $2 trillion already spent to get us out of this “crisis,” Obama’s loyal minions can expect to receive, on average, $13 per week from late spring until January. Then it gets scaled back to $8 per week. Last week our savior told the world that with his plan his sheep “will be able to get that car repaired, pay bills, buy groceries.” He later told us, not to go to Las Vegas. I don’t know about you but I am taking my $13 and investing it. Thirteen lotto tickets.
